i really love the first one from an old Archtictural record - love the shiny, gold paint. i'm looking for the perfect frame for it. The third one is from a monthly publication on west coast trade by ramsey oppenheim - 1920s/30s? not sure. i don't know anything about the second and 4th items from my vintage print pile. i'd love to know more about the first one too. better than the star wars bar scene!

ho2cultcha, 5 years agoWladyslaw Theodor Benda
Benda joined the Society of Illustrators in 1907, the Architectural league in 1916, and became a naturalized American in 1911. Benda was proud of his Polish heritage and contributed several poster designs for recruiting Polish patriots during World War I. It was the era of the pretty girl, and his "Benda Girl" work joined the rest, but she stood out as intriguingly exotic among the American types. Her success kept Benda busy working for magazines for many years.

Around 1914 Benda turned to more sculptural pursuits. He began making beautiful and realistic theater masks. He was often referred to as the premier mask maker of the early 20th Century. Four years before his death, he produced a handsome, profusely illustrated book, Masks (Watson-Guptill, 1944).

As his career drew to a close, he did less illustration and spent more time on his masks. Benda died on November 30, 1948, at the age of 75. He had suffered a massive heart attack while waiting to give a demonstration of his masks in the auditorium of the Newark Public School of Fine and Industrial Art.

Hunter, 5 years agolove that first image too - thanks for the Benda background. Hoping to get an interview up on CW next week about Leyendecker and his illustrations...watch for it!

Kathycat, 5 years agoI have to agree with everyone else; 'Love the First One'.

ho2cultcha, 5 years agoyeah, the other ones are just 'filler', althought the mexican nopal tipico is kind of cool as a stereotypical mexican graphic from the 30s. am looking fwd to the leyendecker interview. who will you be interviewing hunter?

stefdesign, 5 years agoI will break with the rest- I love them all, especially the Mexican. I'm so jealous!

ho2cultcha, 5 years agothanks stefdesign. i've been learning that good design is all around us - just a little less common than bad design. how to be discerning without being dismissive, and how to get as close to great as possible on a shoestring or less would be the books i'd write on this subject if i had the time.

ho2cultcha, 5 years agohas anyone ever seen a mask made by W. T. Benda? they are really amazing! they were really popular amongst artsy folks at the turn of the century.

this little mural study is filled w/ his masks. i found another print of it in an ecyclopedia from 1929, but it wasn't nearly the same quality as this one is. i think this is a very special print and couldn't find anything written about it.

Hunter, 5 years agoI would love to see the masks - never even heard of Benda before your post. The interview is with Alfredo, who posts a lot of Bohemian glass (as well as Leyendecker prints).

ho2cultcha, 5 years agoi'd never heard of Benda before finding this print, but i was surprised to find he spent time making masks for a local theater production in the place where i grew up - a small, old, artsy community in nh. i love his illustrations and the photos i've seen of his home show the amazing attention to detail and style he had.